Aircraft



J. JUERGENS ou. 22, 1935L AIRCRAFT Filed July 14, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 ein;

Inuit In J. JUERGENS Oct. 22, 1935.

AIRCRAFT Filed July 14, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 22, 1935. J. Jul-:RGENS 2,018,448

' AIRCRAFT Filed July.,14, 1932v 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 J. JUERGENS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. 22, 1935. J. Jur-:RGl-:Ns 2,018,448

AIRCRAFT Filed July 14, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 22, 1935. J. JUERGENS I 2,018,448

AIRCRAFT Filed July 14, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Oct. 22, 1935 UNITED STATES 2,018,448 PATET OFFICE AIRCRAFT Chicago, Ill.

Application July 14, 1932, Serial No. 622,536

6 Claims.

The invention relates to aircraft and particularly to airplanes, etc., which are provided with parachutes to enable them to descend with safety when they have become disabled.

In aircraft embodying the invention, the parachutes are controlled by the operator of the aircraft and may be released whenever it becomes necessary to do so. The parachutes are provided with improved means for projecting them forcibly from the aircraft so that they will not become entangled in the wings, rudders, or other parts of the aircraft while they are opening. The construction is such that the operator of an airship .which embodies the invention may release the parachute substantially instantaneously When the airship becomes disabled and the parachute will be shot forcibly in a direction away from the airship and in a folded or partly folded condition so that when it opens, it will be correctly positioned to sustain the Weight of the device to which it is attached.

1n some embodiments of the invention, means is provided whereby the operator may tilt the parachutes and control the descent of the airship to the ground.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the following detailed description progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, Wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of an airplane which embodies the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the improved airplane shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 5 5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a section taken on the same line as Figure 5, the parachute and the container therefor being omitted.

Figure 7 is a section taken on line 'I 'I of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a section taken on line 8 8 of Figure 5.

Figure 8A is a section taken on line 8A 8A of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a section taken on line Q Q of Figure 5.

Figure l0 is a section taken o-n the same line as Figure 6, certain parts of the mechanism being shown in changed positions.

Figure 11 is a section taken on line Il II of Figure 5.

Figure 12 is a section taken on line I2 I 2 of Figure 11.

Figure i3 is a section taken on line I3 I3 of Figure 11.

Figure 14 is a section taken transversely through the airplane with the parachute in its functionally operative position.

Figure 15 is an enlarged section taken on line l5 |5 of Figure 14.

Figure 16 is a section taken on line I6 I6 of 10 Figure 17.

Figure l'l is a section taken substantially on the same line as Figure 14.

Figure 18 is a bottom view of a cap or weight which forms part of the apparatus for forcibly 1.5 projecting the parachute from the airplane.

Figure 19 is a section taken on line I9 I9 of Figure 5.

Figure 20 is a section taken on line 20-20 of Figure 5. 20

Figure 21 is a plan View of the parachute housing with its closure removed; Figure 22 is a View in elevation partly broken `away of a modified parachute housing construction; Figure 23 is a view in elevation partly broken of a further modi- 25 flcation; Figure 24 is a View in elevation of aircraft supported by parachutes arranged in tandem; and Figure 25 is an enlarged sectional viewA of the housing employed in the modification shown in Fig. 24. f

Referring for the present to Figures 1 to ,21, inclusive, the reference character l0 designates the fuselage of an airplane which comprises the usual internal combustion engine, landing gear, etc. Disposed in the fuselage I0, preferably in 3,5 back of the pilots seat, is a housing I5 in which a parachute I6 is folded.

The housing I5 is open at its top and is in registry with an aperture I8 formed in the top wall of the fuselage I0. The aperture I8 is nor- 4,0 mally closed by a closure member I9 which also serves as a weight and assists in withdrawing the parachute I6 from the housing I5. The closure member or weight kI9 preferably comprises a conical sheet metal member 2l which is secured 4;;

cured toga discV 21 provided with a downwardly extendingtubular extensionV 28 which receives the Y f upper end of a plunger 30, the construction beably to the disc 21.

ing such that when the plunger 30 is displaced Y upwardly, it carries the disc 21 and the central portion of the parachute I6 with it.

Projecting upwardly from the disc 21 and rig- Y idly secured, thereto are a plurality of pins 32 which project through apertures k33 provided in Van apertured disc 34 secured to the head 20. (See Figs. 5, 18, 19 and 20). The pins 32 arepartially disposed in grooves 35 formed in a tubular member 36 which is rigidly secured to the disc 34. The pins 32 are provided with notches 38 which receive a coiled spring 40,7the spring 4U being adapted to securethe closure member I9 detach- The periphery. of the parachute I6 is connected by shroud lines 42 to a tubular member 43 slidably mounted on the plunger 36, the Vplunger 36 being provided with a key 45 which prevents anguiar displacement of the tubular member 43 around the plunger. vWhen the tubular member 43 is assembled with the plunger 3D, its lower end projects into a tubular member 41 seated on'the upper end of a tubular housing member 48 which'has itsV lower end secured by bolts 49 to a bracket member 50. The bracket member 59 is secured to the plunger l0 by bolts 5I.

It will'be noted that the upper end of the tubular member 41 is of reduced diameter and provides a shoulder 53 whichseatsupon Vthe upper endof the tubular housing Vmember 48. Asbest Vshown in Fig. 9, the tubular member 43 has a key portion 43a whichVY projects intoY a keyway 41a formed in the tubular member 41. The key 43a Y co-operates with the keyway 41a to prevent anj Vber 48.

.gular displacement of the tubular member 41 around its longitudinal axis.

Formed integral with the tubular member 41 at the lower end thereof is a disc 54 to which the housing member l5 is secured by a plurality of bolts 56.V (Figs. 5 and 6). A bent member 51, secured to the bottom surface of the disc 54, normally rests in a slot 58 which is formed by a bent bar 59 secured to the tubular housing mem- (See Figs. 6 and 8A). The bent member 51 cooperates with the bent bar 59 to prevent angular. displacement of the tubular member 41 and the disc 54 around the tubular housing member 48. YThe disc 54 carries a plurality of spool devices 60 and 6I, thespool devices 60 being adapted to hold the shroud lines 42 and the spool devices 6I beingadapted to hold four anchorY lines 63. One end of each anchor line 63 is secured to the tubular memberl 43 and the other end thereof is secured to an eye or ring 65 which j Y spool member 66 provided with a button-like head 61. The spool member 66 is iixed rigidly to the disc 54. The intermediate portion of one of the anchor lines 63 is coiled around the spool members` 66 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 11.

Surrounding the spool member 66 and the coiled anchor lineV 63 is a conical housing member 10 co-operating spring 82.

which holds the shroud line in place uponY the spool member 66. It will be noted that the up? per end of the conical housingmember 1E!Y is provided with anfaperture 1l through which the anchor line 63 is threaded. One portion ofthe anchor line passes through a groove 13 formed Vin the conical housing member 18. Y

' When the parachute lr6 isV projected from the fuselage I6, the shroud lines i2 pull the tubular member 43 off the upper end of the plunger 36 and the shroud lines as well as the anchor lines 63 are uncoiledV from the spools 66 in such manner that they do not become entangled with each other. As stated above, the shroud lines extend from the outer periphery of the parachute toV Vthe tubular member V43 which is relatively small in diameter. The anchor lines secure the tubular member 43 to the fuselage. This construction prevents the airplane from tip-ping'the parachute as the small amount the tubular member 43 will be tipped when the airplane rolls during its descent .willV not be sufficient to tip the parachute to any appreciable extent. Y

As illustrated in Figs. 6 and '1, the key 45 on the plunger 36 rides in a keyway 48a. formed in the upper end of the tubular housing member 48. This prevents the plunger 36 from being displaced angularly around its longitudinal axis.

The upper end of the plunger 36 isV of yreduced diameter as compared with its lower end, the lower end of the plunger' being identiiied by the reference character 88. A bore 8l formed in the upper end of the plunger 36 extends upwardly to a point adjacent the top surface thereof. A smaller bore 83 extending into the plunger 36 from the upper suriace thereof communicates with the bore 8l. A helical spring 85 has'its upper end disposed in the bore 6i and hasV its lower end disposed in a tubular sleeve 85 which is preferably 'formed integral with the bracket member 56. The construction is such that the spring 85 yieldingly urges the plunger V36 up-Y wardly. The tubular housing member 48 is provided with a top wall lh in which'the keyway 48a is formed. A rubber bumper 93 carried by the upper end of the enlarged portion 89 of the plunger 36 is engageable with the top wall 46o and serves to absorb the shock when the plunger 3D is driven upwardly by the spring 85 and a The spring 92 is disposed in a bore 93 formed in the portion Ell oi the plunger 39. It willbe noted that the sleeve 86 is disposed between the spring 85 and the spring 92 and prevents the coils of the springs from becoming entangled with each other. For the same purpose, one of the springs is preferably wound with right hand coils and the other is wound with left hand coils.

The springs 65 and are tensioned by means comprising a tool which is designated generally by the reference character llli. The tool iilii comprises a bolt fill upon which a nut 192 is in Figs. 5, 5 and 8, means provided for locking the plunger itil in its retracted position with the springs 85 and 92 compressed. This means comprises latch members |05 which are pivoted 'ItY f. and 02..

on a pin |06 carried by bracket members |07, the bracket members |01 being rigidly secured to the tubular` housing member 48. Pins M39 projecting from the latch members |55 are lined with apertures i provided in the tubular housing member 48, the construction being such that the latch members may be swung from the positions they are shown in dotted. lines in Fig. 8 into the positions wherein they are shown in full lines in the same figure. When the latch members are brought into their functionally operative positions as illustrated in full lines in Fig. 8, the pins |69 project through the apertures H0. and into apertures ||2 provided in the portion of the plunger 30, the apertures H2 being brought into alinement with the apertures Huwhen thev springs and 92 are compressed the required amount. When the pins project into thefapertures ||2, they lock the plunger 30 in its retracted position.

To secure the latch members |05 in their locking positions, a clip member ||3 is sprung over the free ends thereof, the clip member I3 being provided with projections |4 which are engageable with apertures |5 provided in the free ends of thev latch members. A cable has one end secured to the clip member I3 and has its other endv disposed adjacent the pilot seat so that the pilot may release the latch members i at any time by pulling on the cable. The inner ends of the pins |09 are rounded so that when the clipl member iswithdrawn from the latch members |05, the plunger 30 will displace the pins |09 outwardly under the action of the springs 85 These springs will then project the plunger 30 upwardly with sufficient force to drive the closure member I9 away from the airplane vand the closure member I9 will pull the parachute I6 with it until the anchor lines 42 and the shroud lines 63 are fully extended. As soon as the anchor and shroud lines have been drawn taut, the weight of the closure member I9 will cause it to detach itself from the disc 27. In other words, the spring 40 will yield sufficiently to permit it to ride out of the notches 38 in the pins 32 whereupon the entire closure member i9 will be detached from the disc 21 and will fall to the earth. The siren 26 will then function and serve as a warning to people below the airplane.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the rings or eyes 65 to which the anchor lines 63 are secured are formed at the upper ends of rods 65a which are provided with collars 65h at their lower ends. 'I'he collars 65h are slidably journaled in tubular housings 65e which are rigidly secured to the fuselage |0.v Each rod 65a is provided with a rubber bumper 65d, the construction being such that when the rods 65a are drawn violently outward by the anchor lines 42, part of the shock on the fuselage |0 is absorbed by the rubber bumpers which engage the outer ends of the tubular housings 65e.

As best shown in Figs. 14 to 1'7, inclusive, the parachute I6 is preferably provided with control lines |20. The control lines are preferably a ,continuous line which has its intermediate portionwound around a drum |22 xed to a shaft |23 which is journaled in bracket members |24 secured to the fuselage |0. A crank lever |26 fixed to the shaft |23 may be employed to rotate the drum |22. The control lines |20 are wound upon the drum |22 in such manner that if the drum is rotated in one direction, one of the lines will be wound upon the drum and the other line will be unwound so that the parachute will be tilted in one direction. If the drum is rotatedv in the opposite direction, the parachute willv be tilted in the opposite direction.V This permits the pilot to maneuver the airplane duringits descent so as to avoid buildings, etc. As illustrated in Figs. 15 and 17, the control lines E22 pass through apertures 30 in the tubular member 43.

The operation of the above described apparatus is substantially as follows: It will be readily understood that the springs 85 and 92 may be compressed in the manner described above and that the tool |80 is removed from the plunger Sii after the latch members |05 have been secured in their functionally operative positions bythe clip H3. This compression of the springs and 52 may take place either before or after the anchor and shroud lines have been coiled in the spool devices @ii and 6| and the parachute I6 has been folded in the housing member I5. If it is assumed that the springs i5 and 92 have been compressed and that the anchor and shroud lines and the parachute it have been arranged as illustrated in Fig. 5, it will be readily understood that the closure member |9 may be secured to the fuselage i 0 by the tape 22. 'Ihe apparatus is then ready to function at any time. Thus, if, while the airplane is in flight the engine stalls, the pilot may pull on the cable to release the latch members |05 whereupon the parachute i6 will be projected from the housing member 5 and will become inflated to its full eX- tent during the descent of the airplane, The parachute is preferably of such proportions that the airplane will fall to the ground at such slow speed that it will not be materially damaged when it strikes the ground.

Another form of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 22 wherein a parachute 2|@ is shown folded in a housing member 2 5, the housing member 2 I5 being open at its top and being in registry with an aperture 2|8 provided in the top wall of the fuselage 2 l0. The aperture 2 i3 is normally closed by the closure member 2|9 which is secured detachably to the fuselage 2id by adhesive tape 225. The central portion of the parachute 2|5 is secured to a disc 22'? which has the same function as the disc 2l described above. The closure member 2|9 is detachably secured to the disc 227 by means (not shown) which is preferably identical with the means described above for securing the closure member i9 to the disc 2l'. The parachute 2| is secured to the fuselage 2i@ by anchor lines 263, each of which has one end secured to the fuselage 2|i and has its other end secured to a tubular member 2423 which is identical in construction with the tubular member 43 described above. The tubular member 243 is secured to the periphery of the parachute 2|6 by shroud lines (not shown). When the parachute is folded in the housing member 2i5, the anchor and shroud lines are coiled in spool devices 26E and 260, respectively.

The apparatus described above in connection with Fig. 22 is preferably identical in construction with similar apparatus illustrated in Figs. l to 21, inclusive, and has the same functions. In Fig. 22, the plunger Sii shown in Figs. 5 and 5 is replaced by a plunger 230 whichis slidably journaled in a tubular housing member 248, the lower end of the housing member 25S being xed to a bracket member 250 which is secured to the fuselage 2|0. The plunger 23@ is preferably hollow and is provided with an end wall daat its upper end. Communicating with the interior of the tubular housing member 248 1s a pipe 210 .Y springs and 92, described above.

readily understood that when the valve 213 is which connectsY the housing member 248 with a tank 21| holding a supply of compressed air, or the equivalent, for the purpose, The flow of the compressed fluid through the pipe 210 is controlled by Va manually operable valve 213. 'I'he compressed fluid is employed in place of the It will be Another form of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 23. In this instance, the tail of an airplane is provided with a cap 3|9 which has the same function as the closure members |9 and 2|9 described above. The fuselage of the airplane shown in Fig. 23 is designated generally by the reference character SIS.

The parachute Sit folded in the tail end of the fuselage Sii) is detachably secured to the cap Si@ in the same manner as the parachute I6 is secured detachably to the closure member 9, the periphery of the parachute 3|6 being secured to the fuselage Bl by anchor andV shroud lines (not shown).Y The means for projecting the parachute Sie from the fuselageie comprises a tubular housing member 34B which contains mechanism substantially identical with the mechanismV housed within the tubular member 48 described above. The inner end of the housing member 343 is rigidly secured to the fuselage lilby a bracket 3fi8a. Pivoted to the housing member 348 are latch members 305 which have Y the same function as the latch members |85 described above. A clip 3|3 detachably secures the latch members 3&5 in their locking positions and is provided with'a cable 3 I 1 whereby the pilot may release the latch members SGS. It will be readily understood that when the latch members 3BE are released, the mechanism within the member 348 will function to drive the cap Big and the parachute 3 i6 outwardly until the shroud and anchor lines (not shown) are fully extended, whereupon the cap 3 E d will detach itself from the parachute and fall to the ground.

Still another form of the invention is shown in YFigs. 24.V and V25. The fuselage of an airplane is designated generally by the reference character sie and is provided with parachutes 4|| and llc, the parachute iisd being secured to the parachute by shroudlines 442 and the para Ychute being secured to a tubular member 443 by'shroud lines fifa. The tubular member 443 is secured to the fuselage 4| 0 by' anchor lines provided in the top wall of the fuselage 4 il. The. VVaperture 4 i 8 is normally closed by Ya closure member 4H] which has the same function as the closure member jle described above. The closure member M9 comprises a conical sheet metal member 4.2! and a heavy similarly shaped mem- L ber 42@ to which the sheet metal member is seor the equivalent, for the purposa vFigure 25 illustrates the manner in which the is nxed to one end of a cable Meg which has its 10,

other end secured to a ring M911Y fixed to the housing member i I 5a. The intermediate portion of the cable 4|9g is coiled in aY spool device 4|97` which is substantially identical in construction with the spool devices and 6|, described above. 1:5

The construction is such that when the parachute 4|6a is forcibly ejected from the fuselage 4i0 in a manner hereinafter described, the heavy member 42B will withdraw the parachute 4|6a from the housing member 4| 5a and the 20 shroud lines 442 will be drawn taut. The cable 4| 9g will be drawn' taut at the same time and is of such length that it will pull the ball 4|9f from the enlarged end of the tubular member ligc, whereupon the tubular member will 25 slip through the'aperture 4wd so that the closure member 4| 9 will be' detached from the parachute 4|6a. The closure member 4|9 will then fall to the ground.

rihe central portion of the parachute 4|6 is 30 secured to a disc 454 provided with a tubular downwardly projecting boss 454a loosely seated on the upper end of a plunger 430. The plunger 43e is identical in construction with the plunger 3i) described above and is actuated by similarltimechanism (not shown) disposed in a housing Seil which is identical in constructionrwith the housing 48 described above. The shroud lines 442e connect the periphery of the parachute 415 with a tubular member 443 which is identical 40 with the tubular member 43 described above and has the same function. The intermediate portions of the shroud lines 442:1 are coiled in spool 1 devices 46) carried by a disc 5ta mounted on the upper end of the housing member E48. The 45 disc 454s is rigidly secure-d to the housing member 4|5 by bolts 45S. It will be noted that similar bolts 45511 rigidly secure the disc 454 to the housing member 4|5d. Y

The intermediate portions of the anchor lines 5u 453 are coiled in spool devices 46| fixed to the disc 454:1. 'I'he spool devices Vi559 and 46| are identical in construction with theY spooldevices @ii and 6| described above.

The intermediate portions of the shroud lines 55 42 are coiled in spool devices 460cv which are identical in construction with the spool devices Y 455i. One end of each shroud line 442 is connected to the parachute 4|5a and the other end thereof is connected to a ring 442i) rigidly secured 60 to the housing memberY 4 I 5.

The operation of the apparatus shown in Figs. 2e and 25 is substantially as follows: When the parachutes 4|6 .and 4|Ba areto be discharged through the aperture 4|8, the pilot pulls a cable 05 (not shown) which actuates mechanism (not shown) which is similar to that shown in connection with the plunger 3B, to release the plunger 43! and the plunger 430 is then driven upwardly and carries parachutes 4|6 and 4|6a, the disc V454, 70 A the housing member 4|5a, the spool devices 46nd and the closure member 4|!)r with it and forcibly ejects these parts through the opening 4|8. The weight of the closure member 4 I9 insures that the shroud lines of the parachutes 4|6 and 4|Ba will 15E.,

be fully extended above the airplane and when they have been fully extended the Withdrawal of the ball Mf from the enlarged portion M96 of the tubular member 4I9c permits the closure member to detach itself from the parachute 4I 6m in the manner described above. Both of the parachutes become inflated and carry the airplane to safety on the ground.

Figures 24 and 25 illustrate that a plurality of parachutes may be employed for each airplane. In some instances, a single parachute similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 21, inclusive, may be employed at the forward end of an airplane and another parachute may be employed at the tail of the airplane as illustrated in Figure 23.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore in the construction and arrangement may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as possible, in view of the prior art.

I claim:

1. In an airship, a housing member, a parachute folded in said housing member, a closure member for said housing member, means for detachably securing said closure member to said parachute, a tubular member, shroud lines connecting said parachute to said tubular member, anchor lines connecting said tubular member to said airship, a plunger having said tubular member telescoped thereon for projecting said parachute, said tubular member and said closure member from said airship, and means for actuating said plunger.

2. In an airship, a housing member, a parachute folded in said housing member, a closure member for said housing member, means for detachab-ly securing said closure member to said parachute, a tubular member, shroud lines connecting said parachute to said tubular member, anchor lines connecting said tubular member to said airs-hip, a plunger slidably carrying said tubular member for projecting said parachute, said tubular member .and said closure member from bular member for projecting said parachute, said tubular member and said closure member from said airship, and fluid actuated means for actuating said plunger.

4. In an airship, a housing member, a parachute folded in said housing member, a heavy closure member over said housing member, readily detachable means detachably securing said closure member to said parachute, a tubular member, shroud lines connecting said parachute to said tubular member, spool devices on which said shroud lines are coiled, anchor lines connecting said tubular member to said airship, a plunger slidably carrying said tubular member for forcibly projecting said parachute and said closure member from said airship, and means for actuating said plunger.

5. In an airship, a parachute, a plunger for projecting said parachute from said airship, .a tubular member slidably mounted on said plunger, anchor lines connecting said tubular member to said airship, spool devices on which said anchor lines are coiled, shroud lines connecting said parachute to said tubular member, spool devices on which said shroud lines are coiled, and means for actuating said plunger'.

6. In an airship, a parachute, a tubular member, shroud lines connecting said parachute to said tubular member, anchor lines connecting said tubular member to said airship, conical spool devices around which said shroud lines and said anchor lines are coiled, conical housing members surrounding said spool device having apertures at their tops to hold said lines in place, and means for forcibly projecting said parachute from said airship.

JOHN JUERGENS. 

